Jakarta – The Graduate School of Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (SPs UNY), in collaboration with the Human Resources Development Agency of the Ministry of Transportation (BPSDM Kemenhub), held a coordination meeting as a follow-up to the implementation of cooperation between the two institutions on Tuesday (July 21) at the BPSDM Ministry of Transportation Office in Jakarta. The meeting discussed various strategic programs, including the implementation of the Distance Learning Program (PJJ), human resource (HR) development, professorship acceleration, the development of the EduHub Portal, and the strengthening of collaboration in the implementation of the university’s three pillars.

The meeting was opened by the Head of the Human Resources Development Agency of the Ministry of Transportation, Suharto, A.TD., M.M., who emphasized that the meeting was a follow-up to previous discussions on HR development. He stated that the cooperation between SPs UNY and BPSDM Kemenhub is expected to serve as a foundation for long-term collaboration based on mutual trust, mutual support, and shared growth. “Improving the quality of lecturers’ human resources within transportation higher education institutions is an urgent need. We welcome the cooperation with SPs UNY as a strategic step to accelerate lecturer competency development, address existing gaps, and produce increasingly qualified and competitive educators,” said Suharto.

In his presentation, the Director of the Graduate School of Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Prof. Dr. Siswantoyo, M.Kes., AIFO., explained that the implementation of the cooperation in 2026 focuses on improving HR qualifications through the Distance Learning Program (PJJ). In the initial stage, BPSDM Kemenhub scholarship recipients are directed to pursue studies in the Master’s Program in Technology and Vocational Education (S2 PTK) and the Doctoral Program in Educational Research and Evaluation (S3 PEP), which are considered relevant to the HR development needs of transportation higher education institutions. Prof. Siswantoyo also presented an update on the implementation of the PJJ Program at SPs UNY. Currently, the first cohort of the Master’s PJJ Program consists of 22 students, some of whom have already completed their final examinations. The program is designed to be completed within three semesters, with a learning model consisting of 40 percent synchronous and 60 percent asynchronous learning across 16 sessions, providing flexibility for students who continue to carry out their professional duties.

In addition to PJJ implementation, SPs UNY offered several strategic collaboration opportunities, including the development of the EduHub Portal, strengthening learning systems, developing academic fields, supporting professorship acceleration, conducting joint research, providing scientific publication mentoring, and developing academic networks through the provision of promoters, co-promoters, and external examiners. On this occasion, Prof. Siswantoyo emphasized that support for professorship acceleration is one of the main focuses of the cooperation. The program is intended to assist lecturers in fulfilling various academic requirements, ranging from scientific publications and research to strengthening national and international academic networks. Currently, the proportion of professors at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta has reached approximately 12–15 percent, as a result of an acceleration program that has been implemented since 2017.

“This cooperation is not merely about implementing the Distance Learning Program, but about building a sustainable human resource development ecosystem. SPs UNY is ready to support BPSDM Kementerian Perhubungan through lecturer qualification enhancement, professorship acceleration, research mentoring, and scientific publication support. If the implementation targets for 2027 are to be achieved, all supporting components must be prepared from now through needs mapping, roadmap development, system development, and well-planned academic mentoring,” said Prof. Siswantoyo.

Regarding the implementation of the 2026 scholarship program, SPs UNY reported that the academic selection process had been conducted through a Computer Based Test (CBT), consisting of an Academic Potential Test (TPA) and an English Proficiency Test. For the Master’s level, participants only took the CBT without undergoing an interview stage. Subsequently, educational funding will be facilitated by BPSDM Kemenhub, while the study process will be jointly monitored until participants complete their education. As part of strengthening the cooperation, SPs UNY also shared its experience of collaborating with Universitas Katolik Indonesia (UNIKA) St. Paulus Ruteng, particularly in supporting professorship acceleration, developing Master’s and Doctoral programs, and providing promoters, co-promoters, and external examiners. This model was proposed as a best practice that could be replicated in the implementation of the cooperation with BPSDM Kemenhub.

In the subsequent discussion, the two institutions also addressed the development of the EduHub Portal as an integrated learning system for higher education institutions under BPSDM Kemenhub. The portal is designed to integrate various learning systems that have so far operated separately across different polytechnics. The development of EduHub is targeted for completion in 2027 through collaboration involving technical teams from both institutions. The discussion then focused on professorship acceleration. BPSDM reported that 32 lecturers are projected to meet the eligibility requirements for professorship applications in the coming year, while three professors have successfully been appointed this year. Several challenges remain, including the verification of scientific publications, journal claims, and fulfillment of requirements for promoters, co-promoters, and external examiners. Therefore, both parties agreed to strengthen collaboration through article-writing assistance, joint research, scientific publication mentoring, academic mentoring, and the development of scholarly networks.

The Secretary of the Human Resources Development Agency for Transportation, Ali Fikri, S.H., M.Kn., stated that the academic scholarship selection process had been completed, with 20 participants for the Master’s Program and 10 participants for the Doctoral Program. He also emphasized the importance of following up on the cooperation, particularly regarding scholarship funding, the development of a Learning Management System (LMS), the EduHub Portal, preparation of cooperation materials, legal drafting, and the development of transportation-related academic content. “The academic selection stage has been completed. We hope that the implementation of the cooperation can now be followed up through the preparation of technical steps, including scholarship funding, LMS development, the EduHub Portal, and the preparation of other cooperation components. In principle, BPSDM is ready to continue communication and coordination with SPs UNY so that all planned programs can be implemented gradually and provide tangible benefits to both institutions,” explained Ali Fikri.

Toward the end of the meeting, the participants also discussed the idea of transforming transportation higher education through the concept of a Transportation University integrating the fields of land, sea, and air transportation. This concept forms part of a long-term development plan aimed at strengthening the governance of transportation higher education in Indonesia.

Through this coordination meeting, SPs UNY and BPSDM Kementerian Perhubungan reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening synergy in human resource development, improving the quality of higher education, accelerating professorship, and building a more integrated and sustainable learning ecosystem. This collaboration is expected to make a tangible contribution to enhancing the competitiveness of Indonesia’s human resources, particularly in the transportation sector, while serving as a model of strategic cooperation between higher education institutions and the government in supporting national human resource development. (SR)